Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Moderators: gds, bakerjw, renegade, bamachem

Post Reply
User avatar
Ben B.
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 270
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 1:53 am
Location: Eugene, OR

Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by Ben B. »

I’ve mostly plinked with the subs I’ve loaded over the 10 yrs or so I’ve had 300 BLK rifles. I’m going to load 250-500 subs for my RARR, and I want to go for accuracy. I’ve been impressed with accuracy in 110 gr supers loaded over ~20.0 gr H110, whether VMAXs, Barnes or Nosler Varmageddons. IIRC, subs have been good enough as a general rule, maybe +/- 1” or so at 50 yds, but I want to shoot for better.

In the past I have loaded 220 RN Hrndy, 225 Hndy BTHP, 217 gr Gallants, 245 gr Mizzou, 190 SubXs, and 265 DS from Acme. I have none of those on hand, just a single bastard box of Hndy 225 ELDs sitting around for the past several years. My one note I find is that some 225 Hndy BTHP “shot good groups at 50 yds from the RARR.”

I’ll be buying coated lead bullets for this project, probably will use my preferred IMR 4227, but also have Lil Gun, H110, H4895, and some 1680. Probably have some Accurate #5, definitely have CFE Pistol, IMR Red, and that’s probably about it. I do NOT care about gas gun fxn for these and I’m soliciting experience from fellas who’ve kept an eye on accuracy in subs and tried several of the 200+ gr bullets. Quiet thru the can will be a distant second priority.

If you have any experience to share, I’m all ears…

Thx

Ben
"rjacobs" quote removed at "rjacobs" request.
1873spfd
New Member
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 9:18 am

Re: Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by 1873spfd »

watching with interest. Have some MBC 245 coated I would like to find a load for.
User avatar
bangbangping
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 2695
Joined: Sun Sep 15, 2013 6:34 pm
Location: Texas Gulf Coast

Re: Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by bangbangping »

Ben B. wrote: Fri Dec 09, 2022 8:59 pm I’m going to load 250-500 subs for my RARR, and I want to go for accuracy. ... subs have been good enough as a general rule, maybe +/- 1” or so at 50 yds, but I want to shoot for better.
If your goal is <1"at 50 yards with reasonable effort, you should find a lead bullet that's coated with a copper jacket. :roll: Not to say it's impossible, but it's generally not as easy as finding "the most accurate" cast bullet and working up a load in the usual manner. But don't let me dissuade you.

I can't point you to a particular bullet, but can give some tips:

1. Avoid the "hard cast" bullets. For 300 BLK subs you want something relatively soft. Personally, I found that around 12 BHN works best. The only factory cast bullets I ever bought were hard as rocks, slightly undersized, and keyholed at 10 yards.

2(a). Match the bullet to the bore. Lee sizers are cheap, and you can get one in .308 or .309 and polish it up larger (if needed) with fine wet or dry.

2(b). Don't size the bullets too large. Some folks will tell you to size to .311, but that's counterproductive. The 300 BLK chamber is not designed for cast bullets, and all you'll do is scrape lead in the sharp transition from neck to throat. I have had best success sizing from exactly bore diameter to .001" over.

3. Expand/flare the necks properly. For a bolt gun, I shoot for .001" (or less) under bullet diameter after brass springback. If you don't expand the necks enough you'll size down the bullets as you seat them, and accuracy will go to crap. NOE sells some nice stepped (like the Lyman M-die) expander plugs that fit the Lee universal expander body.

4. Center the cartridge in the chamber. Lots of things help with this, such as a bore rider properly nose sized and loaded long, and minimally sizing the brass. My CVA pistol likes to shave lead unless everything is perfect. For it I form 300 BLK brass from known bad (too thick) PPU .223 brass, and then turn the necks to precisely fit. PITA, yes, but it works.

Now, someone will probably come behind me and say shoot XXXX bullet and they always get sub MOA in an open sight ARs at 200 yards loaded with mixed brass and a thrown charge of Red Dot. I will not call them liars, but will say they are the exception.

Good luck!
User avatar
dellet
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 6967
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 1:25 pm

Re: Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by dellet »

I don’t shoot a lot of cast in 300 Blackout, but here’s a good example of what bang bang is talking about. The right hand groups were exactly the same load. 265 grain Acme bullet, referred to as the Dolomite special, the member who designed and brought it to market. You might search for that term.
Image

Upper group had no bell at the mouth, and neck diameter was .306”. It shaved the powder coating. Bottom group neck was prepared as bangbang described. That was a 50 yard target and pretty normal for a single flyer like that.
300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
Freedom1973
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 172
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2015 6:45 pm

Re: Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by Freedom1973 »

My experience has been the same as Dellet's.
I found my best coated cast results with the DS special. 265gr with N120 powder. This was in a RARR 16" barrel. I also worked up loads with 4227 but the N120 gave me tight groups if I expanded the necks and lightly crimped them.
Suputin221
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:03 pm

Re: Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by Suputin221 »

1873spfd wrote: Sat Dec 10, 2022 7:08 pm watching with interest. Have some MBC 245 coated I would like to find a load for.
Me too. Only I'm running them in a bolt gun so want to stay away from powders meant for use in a semi-auto. Stuff like 4227, 296 etc. Looking for loads using fast burning pistol powders like Clays, Bullseye, Unique, N340, Blue Dot etc.
Suputin221
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:03 pm

Re: Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by Suputin221 »

BangBangPing, thanks, I have added a Lee expander die to my list of things to buy and have contacted NOE regarding the correct expander plug for the .309" coated bullet I am using.
popper
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 407
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 2:09 pm

Re: Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by popper »

Not heavy bullets but 145gr PB with 4.5 gr red dot. 3 shots almost touching @ 50 yrs and very quiet from CVA scout2 SS. Heaviest I've tried is 170gr PB, 7 gr r.d. so not sub. you ight try fast pistol powder, about 5 gr and work down. Hottest load I did with the 145g was 6.5 gr, no high pressure signs. I'd post target but only have it on my computer, no URL.
User avatar
Ben B.
Silent But Deadly
Posts: 270
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 1:53 am
Location: Eugene, OR

Re: Most accurate coated lead subsonic bullet you’ve seen

Post by Ben B. »

I I bought 500 rds of 215 gr Mizzou bullets. Loaded at 2.040”, expander used on necks, no shaving or compression when I pulled some bullets to check. Terrible accuracy with Red Dot, barely acceptable with 9.0 gr IMR 4227 at +/- 3 MOA, MV is 1020. Going to try some more loads with the 225 gr ELD I have and see what happens. Might buy another batch of 265 DS and see how those compare.
"rjacobs" quote removed at "rjacobs" request.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 106 guests